The delivery of therapeutic to a target site or region in the body of a patient is a procedure that is often repeated in contemporary medicine. Contemporary therapeutic delivery techniques can range from hypodermic needle injections performed outside of the body, to the placement of implants deep within the body of a patient. As can be imagined, the former is practically non-invasive while the later procedure is highly invasive.
In some instances, therapeutic may also be delivered through slightly invasive techniques. These include the intraluminal delivery of coated stents to a diseased blood vessel in the body. These stents may be delivered through the positioning and expansion of a balloon catheter within the body. In this example, as well as with other coated implants, the implant itself is generally a rigid structure intended for long-term dwelling within the body.